Window



July 28, 1959 R. A.'Gul LEslP|E wINnow Filed Jan. 1s. 195e JNVENTOR.

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United States Patent O third to Carl F. Spickelmier, one-third to Edith S.

Greer, and one-third to Betty S. Spicklemire, all of Indianapolis, Ind.

Application January 13, 19-56,` Serial No. 559,035

4 Claims. (Cl. 16-196) This invention relates yto double-hung, metal-framed windows in which the two sash are interconnected in counter-balancing relationship by flexible cables or like elements. Such a Window isshown in my copending application Serial No. 355,489, tiled May 18, 1953. In the window of that application, the intermediate portion of each of the cables passed over a pulley removably mounted in the head of the window frame. The present invention is particularly directed to a replacement for such pulley.

As a pulley-substitute, I employ a fixed shoe of nylon or other appropriate material over which the cable can slide without undue friction or wear. Such shoe has an upwardly presented, cable-engaged face which is generally semicircular in side elevation and is provided with cable-retaining fingers which project across said face alternately from opposite sides of the shoe so that the cable can be applied to or removed from the shoe without detaching its ends from the sash. The shoe is insertable into its operative position through a transversely extending slot in the head of the window frame, such slot being located at one side of the plane of the cable. After such insertion, the shoe is moved longitudinally of the head until it rests in operative position on the upper head-surface in the plane of the cable, such position being determined by an ear which projects downwardly through the opening and engages one side thereof. Preferably, the shoe-passing opening in the head is located in the Vertical plane of a sash-guide carried by a sidejamb of the window frame and at least the upper portion of such guide is removable to expose such opening. With such construction, the upper end of the sash-guide, when replaced, may engage the aforesaid ear to hold the shoe firmly in its operative position. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the more detailed description set forth below, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred ernbodiment of the invention and in which:

Fig. l is a fragmental plan View of a corner of a window frame showing the shoe in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on `the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l but with the shoe removed;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the shoe in operative position.

The window 10 here illustrated comprises upper and lower sash 12 and 14 vertically slidable in a window frame comprising a sill 16, vertical side-jambs 18, and a head 20, all conveniently fonmed of extruded metal stock. Each side-jamb is of a generally H-shaped cross-section and has a web 22 formed intermediately to provide a generally semicircular portion 24 and two parallel flanges 26 which project inwardly of the window opening. At its upper end, the portion 24 is tapped for the reception of screws 28 by which the head 20 is held in place. A

2 similar arrangement (not shown) may be employed at the lower ends of the side-jambs to connect them to the sill 16.

Extending along the vertical sides of the window opening are sash-guides 30 conveniently grooved on their outer faces to receive the edges of the flanges 26 and secured to the respective side-jambs by screws 32 which pass into threaded openings in the web-portion 24. Each sashguide has a pair of parallel grooves 34 slidably receiving flanges 36 or the side-rails of the lower and upper window sash, such flanges preferably being faced with some desirable weather stripping 38.

The head 20 has a horizontal web 40 which supports over the upper end of each side-jarnb 16 a shoe 42 having a curved upper face serving as a guide and support for a cable 44 the two ends of which are attached respectively to the two sash 12 and 14. In this way the two sash may be jointly opened and closed and if, as is desirable, their weights are approximately equal they will counter-balance and support each other in any position of mutual adjustment, as set forth in my prior application above referred t0.

The shoe, which is conventiently molded of an appropriate synthetic plastic such as nylon, is provided along its curved upper face with spaced cable-retaining lingers 46 having tips which project across such face alternately from opposite sides of the shoe and which are spaced outwardly from the body of the shoe, thus making it possible to apply or remove the cable while its ends remain fastened to the sash. At its ends, the shoe is formed with two feet 48 which project in the same direction perpendicularly to the shoe and have lower faces coplanar -with that of the shoe and extend along the upper face of the web 40 to provide additional support.

To permit application and removal of the shoe when the window frame is mounted in a wall, the web 40 of the head is provided in `the plane of the sash-guide 30 with a transverse opening 50 (Fig. 4). Such opening is generally rectangular and of dimensions permitting passage of the body of the shoe, and at its outer ends is provided with extensions S1 for passage of the feet 48. The opening 50 is concealed by the sash-guide, and hence inaccessible, when such guide is in place; and to expose the opening the upper end 30 of the guide is desirably made separable from the remainder and is independently secured to the window frame by one of the screws 32.

To insert the shoe 42, the cable is iirst applied to it by working the cable successively beneath the lingers 46. The shoe, with the cable in place on4 it, is passed upwardly through the opening 50 and then moved outwardly along the web 40 until it rests on such web beyond the outer edge of such opening and between the opening extensions 20. To limit movement of the shoe away from the opening the shoe has provisions projecting downwardly from it and engageable with the outer side of the opening. Such provisions include hook-like lingers 52 receivable in the extensions 51 of the opening and having lower end portions which project transversely of the web 40 for engagement with the lower surface thereof, as will be clear from Figs 2 and 6. On the opposite side of the shoe from the feet 48 the shoe is provided with a lug 54 which, when the guide-end 30 is applied, is engaged thereby to prevent the shoe from moving horizontally into alignment with the opening 50. Preferably, the upper surface of the lug is coplanar with those of the fingers 52, so that when the shoe is being inserted engagement of the fingers 52 and lug 54 with the lower face of the web 40 will provide an indication that the shoe is at the proper height to be slid into its final position. Desirably, the fingers 52 are located (Fig. 5) near the midpoint of the extent of the shoe and feet 48 along the web.

40 where they will be eective, by their engagement with the lower surface of the web, to resist any tendency of the shoe to tip.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a window structure, a frame having a head, a sash vertically slidable in said frame, a shoe on said head, a exible element connected at one end to said sash and running slidably over said shoe for attachment to a sashcounterbalance, said shoe having an upwardly convex surface over which said eXible element runs and being provided along said surface with retaining lingers projecting across said surface alternately from opposite sides of the shoe, said fingers being spaced from each other along said surface and also being spaced from said surface to" permit said flexible element to be inserted beneath the ngers by movement transversely of the flexible element, said frame'being provided adjacent said shoe with an opening providing access to the shoe and exible element.

2. A shoe for slidable engagement by a sash-counterbalancing cable in a window structure, said shoe com- 20 prising a generally semicircular body portion adapted to be supported from its straight face with its curved face presented upwardly, said shoe having a series of cable- 4 retaining lingers projecting across -said curved face alternately from opposite sides of the shoe, and having tips spaced from the body portion of the shoe to permit said cable to be inserted beneath the lingers by movement transversely of the cable.

3. A shoe as set forth in claim 2 with the addition of hook-like fingers projecting downwardly from the body of the shoe at the ends thereof and having terminal por tions extending outwardly in the plane of the shoe.

4. A shoe as set forth in claim 2 with the addition of feet projecting laterally from one side of the shoe and having lower faces coplanar with the straight side of the shoe.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 428,643 Smith et al May 27, 1890 551,307 Dosch Dec. 10, 1895 1,151,811 Motsinger Aug. 31, 1915 1,397,221 Martin Nov. 15, 1921 1,918,010 Anderson July 12, 1933 2,315,970` Krocker Apr. 6, 1943 

